In this section you can find some information of the technical background of items that have changed at my car.
Tuning of the ECU
Modern cars are equipped with an computer, which is responsible for the working of the engine. So it is for example responsible for the moment of ignition, the composition of fuel/diesel and air proportion and the moment of injection of the fuel/diesel. The car is manufactured such, that an car can drive in the most various en extreme conditions, in addition to this an margin of safety is calculated. The quality of fuel/diesel is in the most countries much better than is calculated with. This means the tuning of the ECU is not optimal. So change of the ECU(software) means the software will be optimized. With an turbo engine you can gather up to 30hp more, with an atmospheric car you can gather up to 15hp.
Air filter
Oxygen is together with fuel/diesel the most important ingredients on which the car does its work. Oxygen gather out of air, and needs te be cold as possible. It needs te be cold, because the how colder the air the more oxygen there is in it. The engine gathers the air by an pipe, where at o the end of it an air box with an air filter, which is responsible to clean the air from dirt. The filter manufactures use are filter made of paper. There some specialized manufactures which made their filters of foam air cotton, and the claim the air drain is up to 40% better.
So far the good news, now the bad news. I have read that there some tests taken on the difference of air drain in air boxes with an paper air filter and an cotton or foam air filter. The results was that no difference can be measured. The quality of the foam and cotton air filter are not questioned, the problem is that the negative influence of the air box is such high that the replacement of the paper air filter with an foam are cotton air filter, makes no difference.
So the solution is not changing the air filter but must be found in the air box. The solution is getting rid of the air box, and replace it for an open air filter. But you must be sure only cold air is passing this filter. If the filter is placed to close to the engine, hot air will enter the engine which you can cost even horsepower in stead of wining some. The tests mentioned shows that under optimal conditions 66% more air intake can be the result. Also the type of engine makes an difference with an turbo engine you can gather more than with an atmospheric engine. It is said you can win 10 to 15 horsepower at maximum.
Mijn auto is voorzien van een Green vervangingsfilter, welke gemaakt is van katoen. Ik ben van plan om de ‘airbox’ te vervangen voor een openluchtfilter.
Exhaust
In the paragraph about the air filters you have read the importance of a good air intake. When the air gets in and the engine does its job it is also important the engine can get rid of the exhaust fumes as fast an easy as possible. The most optimal way for doing so is an short pipe, but because of environment and noise standards in most countries this is not allowed. To meet this standarts cars have an exhaust system, which has three functions:
1 getting rid of the exhaust flumes
2 Cooling down of the exhaust flumes. This flumes have an temperature of 800 C when they leave the engine
3 Muffle the noice
Each cylinder has his own pipe for exhaust flumes, which come together in on bigger pipe. From there the first thing the flumes meet is the converter (in Europe it is a prescript), than the middle silence muffler and the end silence muffler. So this are all hurdles to be taken, which costs an lot of energy for the engine. Be optimizing you make sure it will cost the engine less power the get rid of the exhaust flumes, and so more horsepower. Optimizing can be done by:
- increasing of the diameters of the pipes and mufflers
- removal off the converter
It is said it is possible with optimal conditions to gather 10% more horsepower.
Brakes
Well now we have increased the horsepower of the engine we have to make sure we can slow it down again, what is the responsibility of the brakes. The brakes which are standard is used by the manufacture can divide per car and type. Increasing in braking power the next brake systems are used:
- drum brakes (some manufactures still uses these for the rear wheels)
- braking disc
- ventilated braking disc
- lined and penetrated, ventilated braking disc. The lines and holes make sure that the heat
which is developing by braking is transported in an optimal way
- also the diameter of the braking disc is of influence, how bigger the diameter the more braking power you get.
- The number pistons on the braking claws are also influencing the braking power. The more pistons the more braking power you have
- The more heat brake blocks can resist the longer the braking power is granted
My care equipped with EBC lined and ventilated braking discs on the fron wheels an standart braking discs on the rear wheel. I use EBC green stuff braking block on the front wheel which can resist heat up to 650 C. On the back wheels I use EBC red stuff braking block wich can resist an heat up to 800 C.
